1937 — May 30, two car collision on curve/6 one family, Highway 42, Newtonburg, WI– 9

–9 Manitowoc Herald-Times, WI. “Nine Die in Fire at Rest Home.” 4-5-1972, p. 1.
–9 Manitowoc Herald-Times, WI. “Ninth Collision Victim Dies.” 6-2-1937, p. 1.
–9 Recordnet.com. “Foggy Wisconsin crash kills 10.” 10-12-2002.

Narrative Information

April 5, 1972: “The tragedy at the privately-owned home for senior citizens [Fair Hills Rest Home, Rosecrans, April 4, 1972] was the worst in Manitowoc County history since nine persons, were killed in a two-car collision on Memorial Day, south of Newtonburg on old Highway 24.” (Manitowoc Herald-Times, WI. “Nine Die in Fire at Rest Home.” 4-5-1972, p. 1.)

Recordnet.com: “The previous record for fatalities in a Wisconsin traffic accident was nine on May 30, 1937, Wisconsin State Patrol Lt. Nick Scorcio said.”

Newspapers (at time)

June 1: “Death of eight persons in a single automobile accident 14 miles southwest of Manitowoc, Wis., early Sunday, wiped out an entire Racine family and representatives of four generations. Six of the seven occupants of the car driven by Edward Richter, 27, of 515 High street, were killed, the only one to escape fatal injuries being Bertha Gatz, 14, of Palmyra, Wis. The dead in the Richter car:
Edward Richter, 27, Racine.
Mrs. Buelah Richter, 23, his wife.
Shirley Penelope Richter, 5, their daughter.
John Gatz, 55, of Palmyra.
Mrs. Elizabeth Gatz, 52, his wife and mother of Mrs. Richter, Palmyra.
Mrs. Lena Olson, 75, of Palmyra, mother of Mrs. Gatz, grandmother of Mrs. Buelah
Richter, and great-grandmother of Shirley Richter.

“Vernon Pinter, Newton, Wis., was the driver of the car which collided with the Racine car at a curve. Pinter and Gervals Shannahan, 22, of Osman, Wis., were killed.

“Bertha Gatz, 14, riding in the Richer car, suffered a concussion of the brain and was unconscious for a time. She has recovered consciousness and is expected to recover.

“Warren Shallus, 25, of Osman, Wis., and Arnold Kautzer, also of Osman, suffered head injuries and are expected to recover. The injured are in the hospital at Manitowoc.

“The Richter family left Racine late Saturday and drove to Palmyra where Mrs. Olson, Mr. and Mrs. Gatz and Bertha Gatz joined them for a trip to the cherry country. They left Palmyra early Sunday.

“The cars collided at a curve on a macadam road, the Richter car going into a ditch out of control and the other, a sport coupe, remaining upright on the road, a pile of wreckage. Some of the injured were found wandering on a highway. Others were thrown clear.

“Pinter, employed at Milwaukee, purchased his car last Saturday before returning to his home in Osman.

“As far as could be learned, there were no eye-witnesses to the accident but sheriff’s officers said they believed the accident was caused by too great speed at the curve….” (Racine Journal-Times, WI. “Six Members of a Racine Family Killed in Auto Crash near Manitowoc Sunday; One Occupant of Auto Escapes Fatal Injury.” 6-1-1937, p. 1.)

June 2: “The toll in the Highway 42 accident early Sunday mounted to nine today with the death of Arnold Kautzer, 23, Liberty, at the Holy Family hospital. Kautzer, who was riding in the car driven by Vernon Pinter when it collided on a curve with the Edward Richter machine, sustained a fractured skull. Meningitis, which set in early today, caused his death a few hours later. Death of Kautzer leaves only one survivor in each car. They are Bertha Gatz, 14, Palmyra, Wis., who was one of seven persons in the Richter car and Warren Shallue, 24, Meeme. The former has a fractured skull and the latter a brain concussion. Physicians today reported both have shown improvement. They will probably recover….” (Manitowoc Herald-Times, WI. “Ninth Collision Victim Dies.” 6-2-1937, p. 1.)

Sources

Manitowoc Herald-Times, WI. “Nine Die in Fire at Rest Home.” 4-5-1972, p. 1. Accessed 1-25-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/manitowoc-herald-times-apr-05-1972-p-1/

Manitowoc Herald-Times, WI. “Ninth Collision Victim Dies.” 6-2-1937, p. 1. Accessed 1-26-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/manitowoc-herald-times-jun-02-1937-p-1/

Racine Journal-Times, WI. “Six Members of a Racine Family Killed in Auto Crash near Manitowoc Sunday; One Occupant of Auto Escapes Fatal Injury.” 6-1-1937, p. 1. Accessed 1-26-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/racine-journal-times-jun-01-1937-p-1/

Recordnet.com. “Foggy Wisconsin crash kills 10.” 10-12-2002. Accessed 1-26-2022 at: https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/2002/10/12/foggy-wisconsin-crash-kills-10/50746446007/